Dragon Shaman - Gimme something to go on here...

[pawsplay]

The fluff text in the book describes them as having a "totem." Judging from the Spirit Shaman (CD) and the Totemist (MoI), a totem is essentially a personality that communicates with the eternal part of your soul. Does it come from outside? Or from the depths of your own soul? The question is immaterial (ha!) because the soul is not tethered to the here and now. The same power that gives paladins grace, that serves as food to soul-eating demons, that forges incarnum, that calls down curses, that empowers deities through worship that grants supernatural powers to many prestige classes, all resides in the soul. The dragon shaman has a special way of using that power.

 

[VirgilCaine]

That's sort of the angle I was going at. Just north of where the campaign is occurring right now, there is a "dreaming dragon" (a brass) of greater than great wyrm age and of great mystical power whose dreams shape the land. I had imagined a cadre of dragon knights who guard him in his slumber. I was thinking about extending this such that some beings are, purposefully or inadvertently, able to tap into the essence of the dreaming dragon.

*Yoink*

I like this idea.

 

[Andor]

That's sort of the angle I was going at. Just north of where the campaign is occurring right now, there is a "dreaming dragon" (a brass) of greater than great wyrm age and of great mystical power whose dreams shape the land. I had imagined a cadre of dragon knights who guard him in his slumber. I was thinking about extending this such that some beings are, purposefully or inadvertently, able to tap into the essence of the dreaming dragon.

I would have them find themselves within the Dragons dream every night when they sleep. Perhaps they need to maintain a link to the dragon (a pillow filled with earth from his land, or a crystal pendant perhaps) to keep their powers when they travel. That's mildly creepy and also a great way to drop odd bits of information to the PC, as well as lure him away from normal humanity.

 

[Wik]

Our Dragon Shaman was a dwarf who witnessed his family's death at the hands of a Red Dragon in some hilly canyon. Orphaned, he was "adopted" by a copper dragon who taught the character a few draconic "tricks" that would help keep him alive.

 

[Corsair]

That's sort of the angle I was going at. Just north of where the campaign is occurring right now, there is a "dreaming dragon" (a brass) of greater than great wyrm age and of great mystical power whose dreams shape the land. I had imagined a cadre of dragon knights who guard him in his slumber. I was thinking about extending this such that some beings are, purposefully or inadvertently, able to tap into the essence of the dreaming dragon.

So I'm confused.

Is your complaint about the mechanics, or the fluff? In your first post, you seem to say that you're just looking for a fluff explanation. But when someone gives you one, you decide to complain about the mechanics, then immediately turn around and agree that the fluff could work for you.

I'm still confused. :\

 

[kigmatzomat]

The Dragon Shaman can also be someone with a portion of draconic heritage, maybe 1/64 dragon, and is tapping into that great-great-great-great-grandparent's power (who could always still be alive).

Dragon Shamans were chosen by the Dragon Gods to be prosetelyizers for the draconic race. Heck, maybe Dragon Shamans are part of some multi-century plot by a group of dragons to establish themselves as Gods.

Dragon Shamans are like Binders, except they have bound themselves to a vestige of a specific, powerful dragon. IMC clerics actually go through a binding rite to find and bond with the diety that most suits them. I could see such a rite instead latching onto a powerful dragon who just died that is a soul-mate for the shaman-to-be. Could be the first dragon shaman's rite turned the dragon into a vestige.

Dragon shaman are bound to a dragon (god, vestige, living or otherwise) but not through their own actions. An ancestor sold off a descendant's life/soul/blood, cut a deal with a fiend who sold the soul to a dragon, etc. Maybe the dragons use these beings to keep their souls from going to some final death with an ultimate plan of being resurrected or reincarnated once sufficient dragon shamans exist.

 

[Nifft]

If a player showed an interest, I'd allow one. They'd draw power from the same magical source that True Dragons draw off of, whatever that is.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Psion]

Is your complaint about the mechanics, or the fluff? In your first post, you seem to say that you're just looking for a fluff explanation. But when someone gives you one, you decide to complain about the mechanics, then immediately turn around and agree that the fluff could work for you.

I'm still confused. :\

I never complained about the mechanics. It the milieu justification, which seems to be lacking in the class.

That said, the player went ahead and made his character and decided he didn't like the result... and ended up making a half-orc barbarian.

 

[Psion]

The Dragon Shaman can also be someone with a portion of draconic heritage,

I think the heritage card is overplayed.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I think the heritage card is overplayed.

Perhaps, but it a fantasy milleu where people are prone to large families, if the half-breed survives to breeding age and has an utterly reasonable 4 offspring live to breeding age and so on and so on then there are some 4,096 by the 1/64th whatever-blooded stage. In a campaign region with 1,000,000 people that is 0.25% of the population, or likely to be present in any town of 400+ just from one chance intermarraige six generation prior.

I also provided three other options, besides the fractionally-blooded heritage.